FRESHFARM Awarded Newman’s Own Foundation $50k Food Justice For Kids Grant
FRESHFARM is pleased to announce it has been awarded $50,000 to support its signature FoodPrints program from the inaugural Newman’s Own Foundation Food Justice for Kids Grant.
The grant aims to support Newman’s Own Foundation’s vision of a country where all children have access to nutritious, culturally relevant foods; learn about healthy foods and sustainable food systems; and have opportunities to grow, gather, and cook food and be nourished physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Nearly 500 organizations across the country submitted applications. The reviewers were particularly impressed by FRESHFARM’s deep commitment to integrating joyful nutrition education into its mission of creating a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable food future. Five other organizations in the school food programs category, such as Black Girls Cook and Urban School Food Alliance, were also awarded grants.
Finalists in the grantmaking process all submitted a short video about their work. FRESHFARM’s submission showcases the program’s long-term impact and how we shape a school community’s relationship to food – especially in food-insecure areas – with viewpoints of a teacher, a principal, and students.
“We are honored to be named a recipient of a Newman’s Own Foundation grant. FoodPrints nourishes not just students’ bodies, but also their minds,” explains FRESHFARM Director of Education Jenn Mampara. “This funding will go far in our classrooms, providing joyful hands-on experiences that open children’s imagination to try new foods and help food insecure students focus on learning. This grant will help our efforts go even further.”
Today, the FoodPrints program continues to revolutionize what food education looks like in the classroom. This funding gives the program the critical support needed to continue helping students grow, cook, eat, and learn through food. FRESHFARM plans to use the funding to sustain our successful FoodPrints program in 21 schools, creating positive and empowering opportunities for 8,000 students across Washington, DC, to grow, cook, eat, and learn with fresh, nutritious, local produce – a step toward moving the needle toward food justice for all kids in DC.